River of rain headed toward Bay Area

WEATHER Windy deluge through Sunday - floods, blackouts expected

Updated 10:47 pm, Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

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The middle tower of the western section of the Bay Bridge has a backdrop of storm clouds that are making their way across the region on Tuesday, November 27, 2012, in San Francisco, Calif. The San Francisco Bay Area will be hit by a series of storms starting Wednesday, that will last through Sunday, and could deliver several inches of rain to the region. less

The middle tower of the western section of the Bay Bridge has a backdrop of storm clouds that are making their way across the region on Tuesday, November 27, 2012, in San Francisco, Calif. The San Francisco Bay ... more

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

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The San Francisco skyline and Bay Bridge are visible as the leading edge of an incoming storm works it way into the Bay Area on Tuesday, November 27, 2012. The San Francisco Bay Area will be hit by a series of storms starting Wednesday, that will last through Sunday, and could deliver several inches of rain to the region. less

The San Francisco skyline and Bay Bridge are visible as the leading edge of an incoming storm works it way into the Bay Area on Tuesday, November 27, 2012. The San Francisco Bay Area will be hit by a series of ... more

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

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Jodie Holsten of San Anselmo carries one of the many bags she has made to protect her home near downtown. A series of winter storms with wind and plenty of rain through the rest of the week is raising flood concerns in Marin County, Calif. Tuesday November 27, 2012. less

Jodie Holsten of San Anselmo carries one of the many bags she has made to protect her home near downtown. A series of winter storms with wind and plenty of rain through the rest of the week is raising flood ... more

Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle

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CBS 5 future cast for rainfall tomorrow morning.

CBS 5 future cast for rainfall tomorrow morning.

Photo: CBS San Francisco

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Nico Mendoza smiled as he filled a sand bag with the help of a friend. He's had flooding in the past and doesn't want to take any chances. A series of winter storms with wind and plenty of rain through the rest of the week is raising flood concerns in Marin County, Calif. Tuesday November 27, 2012. less

Nico Mendoza smiled as he filled a sand bag with the help of a friend. He's had flooding in the past and doesn't want to take any chances. A series of winter storms with wind and plenty of rain through the ... more

Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle

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Sione Ealu, who works for Davey Tree and contracts out to PG&E, clears branches away from power lines in San Rafael.

Sione Ealu, who works for Davey Tree and contracts out to PG&E, clears branches away from power lines in San Rafael.

Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle

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Markers in downtown San Anselmo show flood levels.

Markers in downtown San Anselmo show flood levels.

Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle

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Jodie Holsten (left) and Cece Ritchie (right) fill sandbags in San Anselmo. The storm is expected to hit the North Bay especially hard, with up to 10 inches of rain forecast for the mountains.

Jodie Holsten (left) and Cece Ritchie (right) fill sandbags in San Anselmo. The storm is expected to hit the North Bay especially hard, with up to 10 inches of rain forecast for the mountains.

Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle

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Cece Ritchie of San Anselmo wrestles with some sand bags for her and her parents home nearby.A series of winter storms with wind and plenty of rain through the rest of the week is raising flood concerns in Marin County, Calif. Tuesday November 27, 2012. less

Cece Ritchie of San Anselmo wrestles with some sand bags for her and her parents home nearby.A series of winter storms with wind and plenty of rain through the rest of the week is raising flood concerns in ... more

Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle

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David M. Hellman fills sandbags at San Rafael's Union Street Fire Station in preparation for the storm.

David M. Hellman fills sandbags at San Rafael's Union Street Fire Station in preparation for the storm.

Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle

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Derrick Doo carries sand bags to his car at the Department of Public Works maintenance yard in San Francisco, Calif. on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012 to prepare for this week's predicted rainstorms. City residents are allowed to take up to 10 sand bags per visit. Doo's not taking any chances after his home near Twin Peaks took on 6 inches of water in the last heavy downpour. less

Derrick Doo carries sand bags to his car at the Department of Public Works maintenance yard in San Francisco, Calif. on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012 to prepare for this week's predicted rainstorms. City residents are ... more

Photo: Paul Chinn, The Chronicle

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Jerry Guibor of Fresno, takes a photo of the incoming storm and the San Francisco skyline from Treasure Island, Calif., on Tuesday, November 27, 2012. The San Francisco Bay Area will be hit by a series of storms starting Wednesday, that will last through Sunday, and could deliver several inches of rain to the region. less

Jerry Guibor of Fresno, takes a photo of the incoming storm and the San Francisco skyline from Treasure Island, Calif., on Tuesday, November 27, 2012. The San Francisco Bay Area will be hit by a series of ... more

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

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A small aircraft flies among the incoming storm clouds over San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, November 27, 2012. The San Francisco Bay Area will be hit by a series of storms starting Wednesday, that will last through Sunday, and could deliver several inches of rain to the region. less

A small aircraft flies among the incoming storm clouds over San Francisco, Calif., on Tuesday, November 27, 2012. The San Francisco Bay Area will be hit by a series of storms starting Wednesday, that will last ... more

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

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River of rain headed toward Bay Area

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The respite is over - get ready for a deluge.

An "atmospheric river" of rain will storm into the Bay Area on Wednesday morning and unleash torrents of precipitation across the region through Sunday, forecasters said.

The driving rain and blowing wind will wallop everything from bridges to houses and leaf-covered trees. Small urban floods and power failures are all but guaranteed.

Showers will continue on and off through the afternoon, and winds could reach 45 to 55 mph inland and 70 mph on the coast, Bell said.

But that isn't the end.

The sheets of wind and rain will return Thursday and continue into Sunday. The heaviest downpours are expected Friday morning.

Rivers can handle rain

In all, North Bay mountains could see 10 inches of rain and the rest of the region could collect 5 inches by Sunday, Bell said.

"I would not recommend going to the beach," Bell deadpanned.

While the storm will be wet, major flooding of the Russian or Napa rivers remains unlikely, state water officials said.

"It is fairly early in the year, so the watersheds can take all the water you can give them," said Jan Null, a meteorologist with Golden Gate Weather Services. But "there's still a lot of leaves on trees. You're going to see trees coming down and power going out."

Hundreds of Pacific Gas and Electric workers are working 16-hour shifts patrolling problem areas looking for downed lines and shaky trees, said Joe Molica, a company spokesman.

San Anselmo prepares

In San Anselmo, where heavy floods in 2004 and 2005 soaked 500 buildings in 4 feet of water and caused $30 million in damages, crews started preparing for heavy winter rains months ago.

"We've been doing this annually in preparation for wintertime. We clean out all storm drains, catch basins, any obstructions. We walk the creek and pull out branches," said building official Keith Angerman. "What we're all doing now is pretty much making sure we have shovels and rakes, making sure all town vehicles are filled up with gas, getting ready. There's no scrambling to do anything right now since we've been doing it for months."

In San Francisco, merchants in a Mission District neighborhood notorious for flooding in even mild rain were stewing Tuesday.

Gonzalez's wholesale furniture warehouse sits in a low basin that draws runoff from across the city. At least once every few years, the storm drains fill and spew sewage during heavy rain. Gonzalez spent Tuesday hurriedly calling city officials and pleading for more sandbags.

"We put this new floor in just last time (in April). I don't want to do it again," he said. "When it happens everyone is here, but before it happens there's no one to talk to."

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